The favorites took the top spots in most of the races at Sunday's National Cross Country Championships in Fukuoka. The front end of the U20 women's 6 km was like a replay of the 6.0 km First Stage at December's National High School Ekiden, and it couldn't have been closer. Both Kanoko Nawa, leadoff runner for ekiden winner Nagano Higashi H.S., and Akari Matsumoto, the first runner from 7th-place Chikushi Joshi Gakuen H.S., clocked 20:20 with Nawa getting the win in the photo finish. Narumi Okumoto, first runner from ekiden 8th-placer Kojokan H.S., was 3rd in 20:23, and Aya Kotajima, first runner from 5th-place Hakuho Joshi H.S., was 4th in 20:28.
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Soma Nagahara, the first runner from Saku Chosei H.S.' runner-up team at the National High School Ekiden, won the U20 men's 8 km in another photo finish, both he and Sota Yamasaki, first runner from 12th-place Yamaguchi Kenritsu Saikyo H.S., clocking 24:01. Sota Orita (Suma Gakuen H.S.) was a close 3rd in 24:06 as the only runner in the top 3 in either U20 race not to have run at the National High School Ekiden.
Yuna Wada, one of two runners from November's National Corporate Women's Ekiden 3rd-placer Japan Post, won the senior women's 8 km in 27:22, 2 seconds ahead of Yuka Sarumida (Universal) and another 2 up on Sakura Takehara (Daiso). Wada's teammate Chika Kosakai also made the podium, taking 6th in 27:30.
The senior men's 10 km was the only race that saw a blowout win. 2016 Olympic steepler Kazuya Shiojiri, 2nd on the 15.8 km Fifth Stage for 2nd-place Fujitsu at last month's New Year Ekiden, won by 13 seconds over steeplechase NR holder Ryuji Miura (Juntendo Univ.), 29:15 to 29:28. Itta Tameike, 5th on the First Stage for Hakone Ekiden runner-up Chuo University last month, was 2 seconds behind Miura in 3rd.
With the World Cross Country Championships already a wrap for 2023, the JAAF will choose one women and one man from among the top placers to run in the Mar. 7 Asian Cross Country Championships in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Comments
He played perfectly and exploided Miura's growing weakness on distances over 5K.
He kept elevating the pace in the second half of the race and finally got to break the pack and finally Miura, the last man standing, with around 2,5 km to go.
Over the last couple of years Miura's times got worse on longer distances and it was the case here again (he won 2 years ago with 29.10 for comparison).
I was surprised to see Kamino Daichi fighting back for 4th. He looked really in trouble mid race, struggling to stay with the pack. He didn't reach the levels one could hope for but he fought hard yesterday.
Ishihara faded brutally after trying to hang on with Miura and Shiojiri.
After all it wasn't a super competitive NC especially compared to other years.